The Blue Bunny Recommends

Book Reviews

Now that you and your kids have read Harry Potter, what next?

Here are some choices for all you fantasy lovers….

The Misadventures of Benjamin Bartholomew Piff: #2 Wishful Thinking, by Jason Lethcoe is now available, and follows on the heels of the original Benjamin Bartholomew Piff: #1 You Wish, where our young orphan hero Ben wishes for limitless wishes on his birthday, and gets a heapful of trouble and adventure when his wish comes true. Both books are a fun read for ages 8-12.

The Secret Country by Jane Johnson. Recommended by one of our loyal customers, this was on my summer reading list, and it did not disappoint. When Ben Arnold goes to the local pet shop to buy two Siamese fighting fish, he does not expect to be persuaded by a talking cat to take him home instead. Evil uncles, secret passageways to a land called Eidolon, dragons, a lost queen, and a prophecy to be fulfilled all subsequently fall in the lap of Ben in this action-packed and thoroughly enjoyable fantasy. Ages 9-up.

Midnight for Charlie Bone by Jenny Nimmo. This and the next five books in the Charlie Bone series have been on the shelves for a couple of years now, but for those new Harry Potter fans who haven’t tried Charlie yet, the books bear revisiting. Charlie is a boy whose hidden gift is the ability to “hear” the thoughts of people in photographs, and his adventures at Bloor’s Academy are reminiscent of Harry Potter’s at Hogwarts. Good characters and suspense make this a compelling read for lovers of magic and fantasy. Ages 9-12.

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman. One of my all-time favorite books, this fantasy has a female heroine for a change. Also slated for major motion picture status, one can only hope they do it justice. Our young heroine Lyra Belacqua, citizen of a city called Oxford in an oddly parallel world, goes in search of the local missing children with her daemon Pantalaimon, and brings us into a rich, terrifying, wonderful and completely spellbinding saga. Its intensity makes it more appropriate for the young adult and adult set (ages 12-up); this and its two sequels are modern fantasy masterpieces. Read it before its big screen release this December.

The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper. The second of five books in the award-winning fantasy series, this novel is being released as a major motion picture on September 28, 2007. Two books in The Dark is Rising Sequence received Newbery Honors when they were first published in the 1970s. The books have had a steady fan base since then, as they tell the tale of Will Stanton, a young man who learns he is the last in a line of warriors who have dedicated their lives to fighting the forces of the Dark. Celtic and Arthurian mythology are woven into to the stories where the fight between good and evil reaches epic proportions. Ages 9-up.

The Ranger’s Apprentice by John Flanagan. Fantasy with a medieval twist, young ward of the castle Will is apprenticed to one of the mysterious Rangers whose job it is to protect the kingdom. The third book in this highly popular series was released this summer. Ages 9-up.

The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor.
Another fantasy with a female heroine, none other than Alyss Heart of Wonderland! In a thrilling tale of betrayal, Alyss is forced to flee to Victorian England when her evil aunt Redd stages a coup and takes over Wonderland. She is left to hide out in Victorian London until she is rescued and returns to defend her throne. The highly anticipated sequel Seeing Redd is also now available.